Reunited
by cg215
Summary: (Pt 6, FINAL) A strange, unknown realm comes onto the scene as magic finds its way from one end of the universe to the other. The lonely realm of those who were once lost is full of sadness and deception. Can the stranger be reunited with the Lokisons and be accepted back into the world he was brought up in?
1. The Fall

Narvi fell from Asgard into almost total darkness. He could remember reaching out to his mother, but they only barely touched. She had tried to save him. It wasn't her fault. Narvi knew that.

Modi had kicked him, injuring the young boy's leg. He had to keep moving. He tried to run out of the palace, and couldn't keep his footing. There were people screaming and crying everywhere, and then the ground opened up. It opened into nothing. And Narvi fell, like the rest of them; he fell into nothing.

At first, the fall was terrifying. The blackness beneath him continued to open up; leading him into a place he was not supposed to go. Many of the people continued to fall into nothing, dying in the process. Narvi knew they were perishing by the sounds of their screams as the air heated up and cooled down, leading them into more and more despair. But Narvi was one of the lucky ones, like his father long ago, getting pulled into a different passageway to an uninhabited world.

The realm they fell to was covered in vibrant plant life, and trees. The trees were thick, and unforgiving, not friendly for climbing or bearing good fruit, but they were familiar enough as trees. With Narvi being from Vanaheim, the green was familiar and welcoming. He was lonely when he first arrived, but he had no space for fear. The boy learned to take care of himself very quickly, despite his young age. When the trees wept for the people who died after arriving on the realm, Narvi would relish the sensation of good water on him. Other people who came to this world were not so fortunate, and were so stricken with grief and heartache that the mere pain of being alone killed them. Narvi helped several people float off into the sunsets, forced to harden his heart to such things early on, as there were hardly enough people now to restart their universe.

Narvi lived on this world for over 20 years completely satisfied with his station and his loneliness. Aside from the occasional friend here or there, Narvi kept pretty much to himself; he learned from Modi's harsh words not to trust those around him. Narvi enjoyed keeping one or two close confidants and the rest of his relationships superficial. There was no need for him to search for his family; to him, it was inevitable that they had all perished with the others he heard screaming. Why would he have felt otherwise? Surely his family could not have survived and not come looking for him.

The few people who were able to make it through to this realm were initially lost and devastated, but together, they built something. Narvi was able to grow in magic on his own, making him invaluable to the people on their little realm. After just a few years, they finally conceded the possibility that they were the only lives left in the universe, and gave their realm a name: Einheim, meaning 'home of the lonely.' Sad, but true.

Narvi's magic became indispensible to the people. He learned how to make things without saying spells, he could light fires to cook food, and he learned how to use his cold magic to stave away the heat that came with the dust storms, which were thankfully very rare. He also created a force field of protection around himself while walking through the crying trees, sparing his skin from the water. Even the world itself seemed to recognize him after a time, welcoming him into the pathways by moving plants aside without him asking.

The people on Einheim tried to recreate the cultures of their respective homes, and ended up creating new ones instead. Many of those that survived were children at the beginning of it all, no older than Narvi, making it a youthful realm that was full of promise. None of the others were from Vanaheim, making Narvi special in more ways than one; as far as he knew, he was not only the only surviving Vanir but also the only surviving Jotun. The people respected him out of necessity. When he became old enough to have authority, they gladly assigned it to him. Narvi took it because they asked it of him, remembering the lessons he learned from his father long ago; 'men are meant to be respected, not ruled,' and Narvi stayed true to that when it came time for Einheim to start searching for other life.

At first, the searches came up nothing. Narvi was the only one remotely capable of Seer abilities, and he did all he could to see what was going on outside of their realm. The only thing they could be sure of was the destruction lied somewhere overhead them. At night, they saw old remnants of worlds from above crashing through their sky, lighting up the faces of the new children who would inevitably come; after all, when the people were alone, there was a lot of time for foolishness. The 'elders' of Einheim were much younger than anywhere else, but they all helped rear the children the best they could. Narvi was smart, but he had only just learned how to read with his mother before she was lost to him. He was, for all intents and purposes, behind in education. But he did all he could, teaching them the songs that Sigyn had sung with him while he fell asleep. It was the last bit of his mother that he could hang on to, save for the constant and lasting sensation of her fingertips grazing him while he watched her disappear.


	2. Making Contact

One night when Narvi went to sleep, he had the strangest dream. He felt he was being drawn into a deep trance, and heard a girl's voice. It sounded familiar, but Narvi couldn't quite place it. He spoke with her often, asking her where she was from, but each time she repeated the name of her realm, he could not understand the word she said. It was as if there was a barrier between the person on the other end and what Narvi was allowed to know.

This started to happen more and more, until Narvi learned that it was not just a dream, but a message he was supposed to receive. Having no guidance and no one to confide in outside of his friend Amund, another orphaned son of fallen parents, he kept the messages to himself. He didn't want to jeopardize the possibility of losing the connection by being too bold with the visions.

The girl on the other end of Narvi's visions was kind, and seemed to be lost herself. She showed him a world that looked something like his own, only it was more dry and certainly much darker. She shared with him the falling lights that plagued her realm as well. This is how Narvi knew she could not be far away. The quiet conversations they would share were private and personal, but never overstepped the boundary into special; Narvi knew that if he could share something with her, she must also bear magic, which increased the likelihood that other magicians were watching.

The messages suddenly stopped for about a week, which made Narvi feel hopeless and lonely again, like he did months prior. He confided in Amund that there was something wrong with the search for new life; his friend was very understanding of Narvi's disappointment, holding him close and trying to offer the best words of comfort he could muster. If there was nothing outside of Einheim, it would mean that the realm was doomed to fall apart. They could not survive forever without outside resources.

But one night, something changed in the messages. He fell asleep as usual, but was approached by the girl in his dream. He could not see her, nor did he know her name. But she held out her hand to Narvi, and beckoned him forward. He stepped into the light, not sure of what he would find there. Narvi did not let fear keep him away.

The place looked familiar, like something he hadn't seen since childhood. A grand, golden room, covered in cogs and tools. The room was spinning. The lights were initially very bright and loud, almost blinding him, until the room came to a halt and the lights shut off.

Before Narvi was a young man who looked like his father, but he had short hair. His cape was blue, not green. The man had a smile, and seemed to be welcoming Narvi into something.

Turning to his left, and then to his right, Narvi did recognize the other men. His uncle Thor, the king of Asgard, was standing beside the blue-clad man. And Heimdall, the Gatekeeper, on the other side. But this was not a memory; it was as if the scene came from something far in the future from what Narvi could remember of the place. How could that be?

A voice that sounded similar to his own and no longer like the girl's was speaking out. Some of the words were jumbled and difficult to understand. But Narvi tried to answer as best he could. He interpreted all of the unintelligible words as 'stranger,' for he had no other reference.

"Stranger, what do you see?"

"I see Asgard."

Narvi kept looking around the room, but did not approach the men in the vision. Even though Thor was family and Heimdall had been kind to him, Narvi could not be sure that this was not a trick. He did not move forward.

"Where are you in Asgard, Stranger? Who is there with you?"

Narvi takes a closer look at the man in blue. He then recognizes that Heimdall and Thor look older than he remembers them, tired, and gray. The man in blue is so strikingly like his father that Narvi can only think to say one thing about him.

"I am in the Bifrost. I see... I see _my brother_? I see Thor. I see Heimdall."

"Is that all, stranger? Do you see Modi?"

Narvi is frustrated by the voice, unable to give a solid answer without a real question. Why would Modi be here? Why would Narvi want to see Modi? He doesn't know the voice. It isn't the voice's business.

"I do not know me. I do not know you."

There is some silence while Narvi watches the countenance of the man in blue, the suspected Vali. It seems some sort of crisis is happening in the room, for the smile of the man is falling, morphing into tears. Thor's face makes the same response. Heimdall in return also begins to falter. Narvi has no answers.

"What is your name?"

Narvi can feel the room spinning again, as if he is being blocked like before. He interprets it as danger.

"I cannot give you my name. I only know a past name."

"What do you mean, a past name?"

"I cannot give you my name."

Narvi is insistent on not sharing too much, for if the sorcerer on the other end means to bring them harm, he knows full well the danger it could pose for his realm, his friends, and himself. He does not want to risk their lives in the process.

In his vision, the man in blue reaches out to him. There are so many tears. Narvi is so focused on the man in front of him that he misses the question from the voice. He wants to reach the man in his vision:

"I am here, Lokison. I am here."

Narvi reaches out and grabs the man in his vision, and they embrace. He is comforting the man, the supposed Vali. Could it truly be his brother? The voice asks him if he is on a certain realm, a word he does not recognize.

"I do not know such place."

"Why do you say Lokison?"

Narvi has to wonder why the voice knows the word. Why it rings in his heart. Why the man in the vision is so teary to see him, why the man in blue needs Narvi. He is the only Lokison. Narvi repeats it a few times, trying to remember why he feels like a clan of one.

"Lokison clan will forever be affected. Lokison."

"Stranger, where are you?"

The voice of the vision is getting more aggressive and angry. Narvi is defensive.

"I do not know me. I do not know you."

"Do you come to destroy us?"

A different voice comes in, this one also terribly familiar, to the point that it makes Narvi want to wake up and get out. The voice makes him feel like he is shaking. Narvi cannot place it. He feels thrown backward, as if he is again falling from the palace of Asgard, watching his mother's eyes disappear. Narvi is so lost in his own half of the vision that he no longer controls the responses, and remembers nothing else.

But he knows one thing for certain: Einheim is certainly not alone.


	3. Sharing Secrets

The first vision with the strangers from afar makes Narvi nervous to fall asleep. But he does so every night, hoping to make contact again, getting closer to the answer of where the strangers are. The last vision forced him to reconsider the possibility of family; maybe he is not the only one left of the Lokison clan after all.

The next time he sees a grand vision is about a week later, and this time he decides to share a memory instead of a potential fortune. The girl in his vision speaks quietly, slowly, as if she is unsure how to feel about the memory she will be thrown into.

"Don't worry, I have survived, so my memories can't harm you." Narvi tries to calm the girl's voice, but it still shakes. She cannot help but be scared. Narvi shows her everything.

He starts with the fall. The destruction of the Ragnarok. He wishes that he'd shown her a more favorable memory, like one with Vali when they were learning how to light candles or even snuff them out. It is too late now, and Narvi continues showing her what he remembers of those times after Asgard was destroyed.

Narvi shows the girl his home, but she seems puzzled. She calls out in voices that he is not familiar with. There are no responses because there is nothing to respond to her; in Narvi's memory, he was alone for some time. Only the trees bore company. He was also still injured, limping on the leg that Modi kicked, trying not to put too much weight on it. There was little relief for his pain.

They spend time under the weeping trees, and he shows her the lake he found to finally cool his wound. She exhales in pleasure at the sensation, obviously keen to the pain his memory is full of as well. But when the girl looks into the water to see her reflection, she sees Narvi's, and he sees hers. How can the girl look so much like the man in blue?

"How odd," Narvi says aloud.

"What is odd?"

Narvi is immediately taken aback by the strange, deep voice again. He will not be fooled so easily and refuses to give a straight answer.

"I do not know me. I do not know you."

"Where are you?"

"I am in a new place. I do not know this place. There are trees... there is water."

The girl's voice within Narvi's head seems to be taking over, controlling his responses. She says nothing that he would not want to say, but it feels unnatural. The girl is experiencing his memories, not telling the future.

"Do you see anyone?" The voice is calm, clear. Narvi is comforted by it somewhat, and lets the girl continue to answer for him.

"I... I only see water."

"Can you tell me more?"

Narvi's memory changes from when he first arrived to a few weeks after, when the people who followed his pathway started to arrive. The adults that came spent much of the time mourning their loved ones. To Narvi, just a child, the people were tall and intimidating. He learned to deal with things by himself.

"There are people here. They are wandering. They look lost."

"Okay... who else is there?"

Narvi changes the memory again, to when he tried to meet them. He was ignored. The boy looked strong enough to fend for himself, so why should they bother? The people were continuing to die around him. It made the trees weep.

"The rain... the rain is coming again."

"Do you hear thunder?"

"Not yet..." Narvi looks up in the trees. This is the memory of understanding that the rain came right from their branches and not from the sky.

"Not yet."

Narvi is frightened by the memories and wishes they would stop. The voice keeps prying for answers: "Do you see anyone that you know? Can you recognize anyone?" He ignores the questions, and tries to get the voice to go away.

"I cannot... no one knows me. I don't know me. I don't know you."

The memories are coming to a close. But Narvi halts exiting the dream when an all-too familiar voice comes on the scene.

"Come back to us, Stranger. Stranger, come back to us."

Narvi turns in the memory, searching the faces of the people. Is she really here?  
"My love, please return to me." The voice is sweet, quiet, and tender. She means him no harm. Narvi wants to call out for her.

"My child, I love you."

Narvi stars screaming out for his mother, calling out her name, and tugging on the clothing of the people that pass by in his memory. None of them reply, for the memory is just a projection. It isn't real. He cannot find her. His mother is lost to him, as he always knew she was.

But Narvi now wakes with a sense of anticipation. He goes to find Amund, hoping find out if there is a way they could leave Einheim to find the others.


	4. Coming to Asgard

The journey to Asgard took several years to organize; of course, there was no way to know that was the place they quested. The visions continued for a few weeks after the memory of his mother's voice, but Narvi was not prepared to see some of the things the girl showed him. One of the encounters involved Narvi confronting Modi, now an adult, and telling him that he was forgiven for kicking him in the palace. Narvi didn't know what else the girl wanted him to say. But it seemed to make some sort of effect on the situation, for shortly after he spoke with Modi, the visions ceased.

Narvi was now armed, however, with the knowledge that there was something else out there. How it had taken the other sorcerers so long to find out that Einheim existed, Narvi could not tell. He tried over and over again to reach the girl in his visions, but was instead met with small clues instead of extended visits like before. His dreams included things such as lighting a bonfire in the highest trees on the full moon, or standing out in a wide field alone for several hours. None of these things were very fruitful; poor Amund stood with Narvi each time he tried one of these tactics, and there was never a response from outside of their realm.

One night, Narvi stood out in the field by himself again, this time truly alone. He didn't even tell Amund where he was going, and left him behind. While Narvi stood out under the stars, he was suddenly overcome with a voice. This one was unfamiliar, very deep, and yet friendly.

"I have not seen you before. What is your name?" The voice seemed to come from nowhere, and yet, was everywhere all at once.

"I... I am Narvi, of Einheim, who is this?" He yelled to the sky, not sure where to look.

"Einheim? I know of no such realm. Where are you located?"

Narvi looks around for anyone who might also hear the voice, but at this late hour, the only company he has are the lights that occasionally burn through the sky.

"I do not know. We thought we were alone. Are we not alone?"

"No, Narvi of Einheim, you are not alone. Do you have need and want to meet with others?"

The offer comes out of nowhere, but it is precisely what Narvi needs to make contact with the other realms. They might offer a means to move about the worlds. Narvi had searched his home for the same portals that his brother found on Vanaheim so many years ago, but he never had too much faith that he would go anywhere, even if he could find one.

"Yes, yes I do! Can I return in three days' time, and meet with you?"

The voice is silent for a time, and then returns:

"Three days, return here. I will take you to meet with us."

...

Narvi could hardly contain his excitement at the contact, and ran home to tell Amund. He had to insist on going alone, but was confident that the voice he spoke with meant them no harm. Narvi was almost in tears at the prospect of setting up contact with another realm; there was no reason to believe that there was already an established government elsewhere. Narvi told Amund that there was no point in telling the people of Einheim until they could be certain that the other end of the transmission was not hostile.

Amund was skeptical, but happy for Narvi to have received an answer. They spent the next couple of days getting him ready for the trip, trimming Narvi's hair to look more acceptable for an audience, and finding him a fine black cloak to travel in. Narvi did not know if the voice on the other end belonged to a person or a creature; there were plenty of both here on Einheim, so Narvi wanted to be prepared for either. By wearing the cloak, he avoided the prejudice of skin color and form.

He went to the site in three days, as he was asked. Narvi could barely contain his excitement, popping his knuckles while waiting for the voice to beckon him forth.

Instead, he was met with the crashing light and sound of a Bifrost transmission, one that swept him away before he could register what it might possibly mean.

...

Vali was approached by the Seer, who reported that he saw a man in a faraway realm not yet mapped as part of Yggdrasill. He said that the man claimed to call the realm, "Einheim," which was fitting, as it was certainly the Eastern-most realm and there was nothing between that location and Narvlheim.

The King responded to the news with excitement, happy to have such a report from the Seer. They had not made contact with a new development in years, themselves a lonely kingdom among only a few habitable realms. The fact that the Seer saw a man was promising for future spread of civilizations and resources.

"When do we expect this visitor?"

"Three days, my King."

"Good! I shall call forth my uncle and your father to greet them. Surely we will all be ready to welcome them in with open arms!"

In three days, all of Asgard and most of both Narvlheim and Dagheim heard the news of the impending visitor. Great excitement echoed from all of those citizens, wanting to know what might be brought from this new world. The leaders in Asgard: Vali, Thor, and Heimdall, all waited at the Bifrost site for him to arrive.

The Seer felt no need to tell Vali that the stranger had given him a name. Soon, it would be irrelevant.


	5. Arrival

Narvi flies through the Bifrost, and has an eerie feeling that he's done this before. He cannot remember when he would have experienced it. The stars that whiz past his view are unfamiliar; not like the ones in the Einheim sky, not even like what he was used to on Vanaheim, though that was so long ago that his memory could be failing him.

When it lands, Narvi crashes into the golden room of the Bifrost. Once his eyes adjust slightly, he instantly knows where he is, and who he will see when his eyes rise upward. The cloak that he wears has shifted somewhat, covering all of his meager Einheim clothing, but the hood is what Narvi cares about. It still shields his head, and makes Narvi feel like it is the only semblance of security he has against who potentially stands before him. He is frightened, and does not want to look straight ahead; Narvi takes in the view of the inside of the Bifrost for a few minutes, convincing his own mind that this is not an illusion.

Sure enough, a second after Narvi tilts his head, the sight takes him back to his old vision. He sees the man in blue, between his uncle Thor and Heimdall, waiting to greet him. Narvi steps forward in front of the man in blue first, sheepishly. His eyes are still mostly aimed at the floor.

"Welcome, visitor from Einheim, to Asgard!" Vali is excited to meet someone new, though is admittedly a little bit alarmed that the stranger is wearing all black and has a hidden face. He tries not to make the uneasiness obvious. "To my right is Thor, protector of all these new realms in Yggdrasill; to my left is Heimdall, my father in law, and former Gatekeeper to Asgard. We are all excited to meet you, and bring Einheim under our wing!"

"And what is your name?" Narvi says quietly. He is trying to hold back his excitement, his pain, his own apprehension. He hopes he knows what will be said, and has been preparing himself somewhat since the first vision with the lost girl in his dreams. It feels too good to be true. But if Narvi hears what he expects, he is not sure he will have the strength to face it.

"Oh, forgive me! My name is Vali Lokison, and I am King of Asgard!"

Narvi raises his head a bit more, really getting a good look at the man in blue. It is unmistakable; the man in Narvi's vision years ago was, indeed, his brother. This man who stands before him looks too much like his long lost father to be lying.

"If you say you are Lokison, than my brother you must be."

The expression on Vali's face falls from excited smiling to a slightly deflated expression. Why would the stranger say something like this? It almost makes Vali angry, like he is prepared to attack one of the lost monsters from the outer darkness. Only a person coursing with evil would invoke such a spirit in this house.

"What do you mean by that?" Vali sternly asks the stranger. He crosses his arms over his chest while waiting for the answer.

"Vali, I..." Narvi cannot hold back any longer. He, very slowly, lifts the hood off of his face and looks his brother in the eye.

Vali is too stunned to move. Standing before him is another man, no older than he, with long chocolate-brown hair and green eyes. He looks very much like his mother. But no, it cannot be, can it? The tight grip that Vali had on his crossed arms relaxes somewhat. Tears form in Vali's eyes involuntarily, as the bond that only twins can know starts filling the room's silence. Thor and Heimdall both let out audible gasps once they realize what has just taken place.

After a few moments of just staring at one another, not knowing how to respond, Vali steps off his podium in the Bifrost and walks to the stranger.

"Narvi?"

Narvi can only nod 'yes' at his brother, sobbing openly.

"Narvi, can it really be you? But... but we thought you were dead?" Vali is awestruck, not sure if he believes what he sees.

"I thought the same of you."

Vali's apprehension has no space here. They embrace one another quickly and tightly. It has been too long, so many forgotten and lost years ago, since they knew one another at all. But in an instant, they are again brothers, each other's best friend and companion. Vali doesn't pull away when he yells out behind him, to either Thor or Heimdall, whichever will answer:

"Someone must fetch my parents. Now!"

They continue to embrace while Heimdall rushes past them into the Bifrost stream to Narvlheim. The hard, metal armor that Vali wears presses against Narvi's chest, but he doesn't mind. For the first time since he was a child, Narvi again has family.

"Look at you, my brother, the King? Can that really be true?"

"It is, it is true, my brother!" Vali continues to hold Narvi close, unable to let go, but knows that Heimdall will not take very long at his task.

Vali covers Narvi again with the hood, and steps back up to his pedestal. Vali is a strong young man, about to become a father himself, but cannot hold back the many tears of joy that overtake his face. Vali warns Narvi that their parents' reaction will be unpredictable, and he should be prepared for anything.

Narvi nods to Vali, both of them still in shock, just as the Bifrost crashes with presence behind him again. They have arrived.

...

Sigyn and Loki are stunned, standing before their lost son, barely able to stay upright. His mother is the only one with breath enough to speak:

"Narvi?" She trails her hand against his cheek, and he embraces it.

"Mother..." he says, shedding tears in the process. How long has he waited to feel her touch against his skin again?

"Oh, my son!" Sigyn pulls him in tight, not willing to let go, still racked with the guilt of not being able to rescue him. There is no balm for her wound beyond this. He is alive. Her tears nearly blind her; her sobs are loud and painful to hear.

Loki keeps hold of Narvi's hand, the one that just squeezed him in code, and falls to his knees. He cannot embrace Narvi, too embarrassed at the thought that he was out there somewhere, and they did not know. How could they not know Narvi was alive?

Vali comes to meet them, already aware of the secret, and embraces Narvi again while his father sits on the floor. Vali tries to offer Loki some comfort.

"Father, we had no idea. He had no idea. Do not blame yourself for missed time, for it is here now!" The eternal optimist, Vali tries to echo his mother's ability to say the right thing. He is not quite successful.

"Narvi I..." Loki looks at him, in shock at how much Narvi looks like Sigyn, unaware of his jaw hanging open in disbelief. So many years of mourning, and now this? The purple shred that usually hangs out of his boot is just peeking out. Loki pulls it out and presents it to Narvi.

"We didn't forget you, my son. You were with us everywhere. We named our home for you. I am so sorry, Narvi. I am so sorry..." Loki breaks down in tears, unable to get up. Narvi takes the token of fabric from his father's hands, and kneels beside him.

"Oh, Father. I haven't seen this color since I was a child!" His youthful attitude brightens the mood somewhat. Loki's eyes rise to meet Narvi's. "Vali is right, it is not your fault, Father. And somehow, you did reach me."

Loki looks puzzled, and tips his head to the side. "What do you mean, I reached you?"

Narvi gazes at all who are present, and each of them look confused.

"Surely it was you that lead me into the visions of this place? I saw it, years ago. I saw Vali; I saw Thor and Heimdall, here in the Bifrost. I thought... I thought it was a dream." Narvi has raised an eyebrow, the same way Sigyn does; something he must have gotten through their blood, as he did not do it as a child.

"No, Narvi, I..." Loki has a revelation. He stops mid-sentence, and looks up at Sigyn and Vali, hoping they will have made the same connection. "Hela."

"Hela?" Narvi asks, not familiar with the name. He stands to face his mother. Sigyn is still barely able to speak through her sobs, but she does what she can.

"Hela is your sister, my love." She caresses his hair, and admires his face. Narvi's eyes widen to hear this news. The events of the day are almost too much to bear.

Narvi takes a moment to consider the implications; the girl in his vision, she must have been his sister. She had known about him, and was calling him forth. He repeats the name again.

"Hela?"

Narvi does not know if he prepared himself enough for so much news. The room is spinning again, as it was in his vision. He is so overwhelmed that he falls to the floor.


	6. Shock and Reunion

Narvi lies on the floor of the Bifrost, unconscious. His family surrounds him, panicking at the concept that they overwhelmed him as he did so to them. Sigyn does not allow anyone else near, cradling his head in her arms, and holding up as much of his body as she can. Narvi is truly beautiful, with a face very much like hers, but with his father's green eyes. His brows are sharp and dark, but not black like his brother's, giving him a certain appearance of innocence that goes along with a lighter color. His skin is nearly flawless; Narvi must not have gotten into many fights on Einheim, or he learned more about healing practices than they were aware of when he was a child.

"Oh, Loki. How could this happen? How could we not know he was out there?" Sigyn is even more painfully guilty over the fact of so many lost years than she was over supposedly losing him forever. She searches Loki's face for any kind of answer.

"I don't know, Sigyn. I..." Loki wracks his mind, considering the possibilities. When Asgard fell, there was nothing beneath it. But then again, there was nothing when he fell, either. His expression echoes the revelation. "It happened to me, once. I don't know why I didn't consider it."

"What are you talking about?"

"When Odin let me fall from Asgard... I went to another dimension. It's possible Narvi found one of these paths. There is a disconnect of space and time in such places. But..." Loki reaches up to caress Narvi's cheek as well, unable to stop staring at the boy. "But he looks no younger, and no older than Vali. Sigyn, I don't know how he ended up there."

The family will never have a satisfactory answer. But Narvi is now with them, which is all that matters.

...

In the hours since Narvi lost consciousness, there is a great hustle to move him back to Narvlheim with his family to recuperate. Vali can not attend with them, now having to clarify to the people why they have not heard word of the new realm yet; he wants to keep the visitor's identity secret, at least until they have a better way of explaining such things to the citizens.

They keep Narvi in Vali's old room, as he will not need it anymore as the King of Asgard. Sigyn removes his black cloak, revealing the clothing beneath; Narvi wears a tunic that is similar to what they used to wear on Vanaheim, though this one is black instead of brown. Sigyn doesn't know what Einheim is like, or what materials they have there, but the pigment of his clothing suggests that the soil itself must be very dark to create fabric of such ebony. She lies next to him, still in disbelief over her lost son's return, stroking his hair and quietly singing to him. She can barely keep her composure through the small songs that she hums into Narvi's ear, but Sigyn is happy.

It has been some time, and Narvi is finally starting to wake. Sigyn alone is with him, after having forced everyone else out of the room. The whole house is now bustling with people who want to see him, but only his mother is allowed to watch him wake. She doesn't want to stir him into frenzy yet again so soon.

"My love, are you waking?" Sigyn coos at him, still stroking his hair and singing quietly. Narvi blinks his eyes a few times and looks up at her; in this moment, he is still the very young child she last saw, in need of constant care.

"Yes, mother, I am awake." Narvi embraces her again; so thankful to have his mother back, so unaware of how awkward it must appear now that he is a grown man. He cares not. Narvi pulls away and looks around the room; they are clearly no longer in the Bifrost.

"Where are we, Mother?"

"This is our home, Narvi. We named this realm after you. We call it Narvlheim."

"Narvlheim?" The boy responds to the word the same way he did Hela's name. To him, it is an honor he does not deserve.

"Shh, I know this is a lot for you right now. Just rest, we have no rush for anything." Sigyn attempts to comfort him, and succeeds for the most part. Narvi wants to stay with her, but knows that he has to return to his own home soon, or Amund will worry.

"I cannot stay, Mother; I have to return home. But how do I reach you?"

Sigyn is not prepared for this. She didn't consider that Narvi has another life, another world to go back to; one so far away that they didn't know it existed until three days ago. She has tears welling in her eyes again.

"Oh, Mother. Please don't cry. I didn't mean to upset you." Narvi speaks to her as he did when he was a child. It is all he knows. "Can I... can I meet Hela before I leave?"

"Of course you can. I will fetch her." Sigyn rises from the bed, still upset but understanding, and leaves to get Hela from downstairs. In the meantime, Narvi searches Vali's room for any clues that might tell him more about their lives here; he finds many books, hidden weapons, even some notes tucked away in his brother's old drawers that are surely love tokens from someone. Narvi smiles at the prospect of where his brother ended up, though he cannot help but feel that there is so much that he missed.

A knock on the door interrupts his searching. A girl enters, only a few years younger than he, and is unmistakably the girl he saw in his vision. She looks much like Vali, only with her mother's features, and so looks an awful lot like Narvi, too. The girl smiles widely at him.

"Hela, my sister..." Narvi says aloud, embracing her tightly. He cannot believe how beautiful she is in person. Hela embraces him right back, though she does so with a more tender and knowing touch.

"My brother. How I have longed to meet you. I trust you came here well?" She looks at Narvi as if she has seen him many times, and is not surprised by his presence. The magic coursing in her veins makes her wise. Hela is quickly morphing into one of the authorities of sorcery here on Narvlheim, and is well aware of what it took to get Narvi here.

"Yes... yes I did." Narvi pauses for a moment, just wanting to confirm his own suspicions. "It was you, wasn't it? You led me here?"

"Yes, Narvi. It was me." Sigyn cannot fathom what she's hearing, as Hela said nothing to her about knowing that Narvi was alive. Narvi embraces Hela in thanks again for bringing them together; he knows his sister better than any of them at this point, and trusts her implicitly.

Another knock on the door, and Sigyn wants to keep the visitor out; Narvi stops her, welcoming the stranger. It is none other than Grid, his surrogate grandmother; Narvi can hardly believe his eyes, for the old woman doesn't appear to have aged a single day. She walks to him, and Narvi has to kneel to embrace her now that he's grown so tall.

"Oh, Nanny! I have missed you so!"

"Sweet child, as did I." She has a small tear to shed out of joy, but like Hela, Grid knew this day would come. Grid eyes Sigyn carefully, aware of the mother's stern expression of disappointment to have not been let in on such a secret. "I have a gift for you, Narvi."

"Oh?" He says, still kneeling on the floor.

Grid lifts up the bottom part of her tunic, revealing a small satchel. She opens the latch and pulls out a cape, this time for Narvi instead of Loki. She has been working on the fabric for years since Hela's first vision with Narvi, preparing for such an occasion as this to present it to him. Grid holds out the cape in her hands, bestowing it upon Narvi, who again looks overwhelmed at the prospect of such an honor.

"Dear Narvi, you are home again. I present this to you, as a token of our love. Your great uncle Freyr lent a hand in it as well." Narvi unfolds the sheet of fabric, and holds it up before them all to see. It is a deep purple cape, an unnatural pigment for a place like Narvlheim; it must have taken years of careful work to finish the intricate embroidery along the edges. Sigyn holds her hand out to touch the fabric, and takes in the velvety texture. The prospect of seeing Narvi done up like her other son fills her with pride.

"It will look fitting upon you, once we find you good armor as well."

Narvi is still in awe over the gift, and cannot believe how he is being received. He kneels again to take Grid back into his arms.

"Thank you, Nanny. I love it."


	7. Einheim

Narvi returns to Einheim that same night. He has set up an agreement with the Seer, that he will call to him in another three days after he has made announcement to the rest of the realm that they are not alone. Narvi wished his family goodbye, and had to argue with Sigyn over whether or not one of them should go with him; he tried to bring her comfort by convincing her that he was well taken care of at home, and she finally conceded.

The events of the day are still reeling in Narvi's mind as he stands in the Bifrost, waiting to be transmitted back home. He was given several gifts, but left them all at his parent's home, as a token that he will soon return. Narvi has a smile on his face, but still has a sense of disconnect with his family. It will take more than a day to undo years of separation.

When the Bifrost lands on Einheim, it is daytime. Amund is waiting at the Bifrost site, clearly marked by the intricate patterns burned into the soil. He has a look of relief on his face to see Narvi, clearly having been waiting at the site all day for him to return.

Narvi smiles to see Amund. He wears the same black robes that all the citizens wear on Einheim; the only common thread amongst the people besides being stranded. Amund is tall, like Narvi, but has very light blonde hair, which he wears in a tied-back ponytail. Amund's complexion is light, as pale as Narvi's most days. His face is clean and shaven, and his eyes are a startling blue. Looking at him from first glance, it is clear that Amund's ancestry is at least partially that of Alfheim, home of the light elves. He is a few years older than Narvi, which makes him a bit more learned in basic skills. But Narvi's magic sets him apart from the rest, making them an equal pair.

Amund's most surprising quality are his words, or rather lack thereof, spoken only with the gestures of his hands; since landing on Einheim after the Ragnarok, Amund lost his power of speech, and communicates with Narvi with gestures and signs that he learned from the several other people who met the same fate here. To watch him 'speak' is like watching a well-choreographed dance; it took more time than Narvi is willing to admit to learn each intricate symbol and movement, but he no longer struggles with understanding Amund after so many years together.

The two walk to one another and embrace, more tightly than ever before, victorious in reaching out to another realm. Narvi has much to say.

"Amund, I found them! My family is alive!" Narvi holds Amund's hands before him, almost trembling with excitement. Amund has to let go to answer.

"_How can that be?_"

"I don't know! I really don't know. But... but..." Narvi can't think to determine what piece of news he should tell first. "Amund, they are out there. There's a whole different set of realms out there, waiting to be explored, waiting for us to make contact. We are not alone!" He hugs Amund, and almost starts to sob again. Narvi is hyper emotional like his mother, but news such as this would make anyone want to weep.

"_Where are they? Please, tell me more!_" Amund shows inflection by widening his gestures, and leading Narvi to sit down.

Narvi tells him about meeting his brother, the new King of Asgard, and reuniting with his parents. His sister Hela was the sorceress that led him to know of other realms, one of which is named after him by his very high-ranking parents. His brother is about to become a father, wed to the daughter of the former Gatekeeper. Narvi did not meet Ragfrieda, but he can imagine she is beautiful by how his brother describes her.

He explains that his family hopes to bring ambassadors to Einheim, and learn how best this realm can be served by Asgard. The other realms of Yggdrasill, outside Narvlheim and Dagheim, are essentially uninhabitable by anything other than uncivilized creatures that wish to have no contact with the other worlds. But Einheim could offer great service to the others, even something as simple as textiles, for the people who met with Narvi complimented his clothing greatly. There is potential in their lonely little world after all.

"_Do you think I might find my parents, too?_" Amund asks, his eyebrows raised in hope.

Narvi pauses, but is sad to say no, that he asked if there were any remaining people of Alfheim and got no straight answer. It might be possible, but is more likely that Amund is alone.

"_What is the next step? When you go back, can I come with you?_"

"I am calling to the Seer of Asgard, the new Gatekeeper, in three days to go back. We must go forth to our people and tell them what I found. Maybe there are more reconciliations to be had."

The elf nods, conceding that he might not get a straight answer from Narvi.

"Oh Amund, of course you are coming with me!"

Amund's eyes light up, and he smiles. He has no magic that Narvi can recognize, but Amund has a kindness that is rare from the people of Einheim, who are all consumed with a sense of abandonment that they tend to be cold to others.

Narvi holds Amund once more, thankful to have his companion, and grateful that the day he had in Asgard was positive. They kiss in celebration beneath the Einheim stars and falling lights before returning to their home.


	8. Truths of Home

Narvi spends the next few days traveling over all of Einheim, announcing the presence of a new Asgard. The people are split into two camps: some are excited to see if they could be reunited with lost family, and some are content being left alone, away from the dangers that go along with such a high-profile government such as Asgard's. Narvi convinces them all that contact is good, that they could bring resources that the people of this world are missing; he suggests that passages between Einheim and the other worlds are the key to their survival. With so few people on their little world, Narvi is not wrong.

Amund and Narvi are excited to go back to Asgard, to see Narvi's family again, and report the openness of the realm to Asgard's ambassadors. They stand together in the dark at the Bifrost site, and Narvi calls out to the sky:

"Seer of Asgard, it is Narvi of Einheim. Please bring myself and Amund to you!" Narvi is anxious to get the trip started.

"_What is this like? Is this going to hurt?_"

"No, Amund. It won't hurt you, I promise."

Just as Narvi finishes comforting Amund, the Bifrost crashes around them. Amund's ears are so sensitive that he covers them while they go through the skies; his mouth is open but no screams escape his lips. The elf is frightened of traveling this way. But it is not a long experience, and Narvi helps keep him upright when they arrive in Asgard's Bifrost just minutes later.

Sigyn and Loki are there to greet Narvi, both of them looking much happier than when he left them three days prior. Both Narvi and Amund are dressed in their black robes; Narvi feels at ease, but this time it is Amund who stares at the innards of the Bifrost, still reeling from the mere reality of an outside world. He remembers the inside of the palace at the Ragnarok, and this gilded contraption is oddly familiar. The whole sensation of memory is overwhelming Amund, and he clutches Narvi's hand in response.

Sigyn walks to Narvi to embrace him, and then turns her glance to Amund.

"Hello there," she says, and holds her hand out to shake his. Amund just stares at her.

"Mother, this is Amund. He cannot speak, but I can talk for him if he wishes to say something. Amund?" Narvi looks at the elf, and tries to get him to open up by letting go of his hand. Amund is still so stricken with grief and surprise that he shakes while forming words.

"_Hello, my name is Amund. You must be Narvi's mother. You are beautiful like he is."_ Narvi laughs a little when Amund is done. The elf is still a little shaken, but he smiles.

"He says it is nice to meet you, and that he thinks you are beautiful, Mother." Sigyn blushes a little and pulls Amund into her arms as well. She signals to Loki, that it is his turn to meet their guest.

"I am Loki, the Steward of Narvlheim. It is nice to meet you, Amund." Loki bows forward a little instead of presenting his hand; it is not unlike Loki to do so, as he is not generally fond of strangers.

"_It is nice to meet you as well, Loki._"Amund bows back in response.

"Should we go to Narvlheim? I can introduce him to Vali later. I am anxious to see Hela and Nanny; Vali will always be here." Narvi is ready to get moving. It is not important to stay on Asgard if all he left behind was in his parent's home.

"Yes. And we have a gift for you waiting at home, Narvi. Go ahead." Sigyn smiles at her son, and is happy to see him less nervous than before. He seems more comfortable now, as if he can comfortably become part of the family once more. He and Amund go through the Bifrost yet again to Narvlheim, and wait for Sigyn and Loki on the other side.

"Sigyn, is that...?" Loki looks at his wife with a flabbergasted expression. This was the last thing he expected. She puts her index finger to his lips, and shakes her head.

"Shh, Loki. Our son is happy. Let him be happy."

Loki's eyes widen while he considers the implications of his son bringing Amund to meet them all. It is obvious the nature of their relationship, but he has little to say against it. Loki is merely surprised.

"I don't know what I would do without you, my love. I am sure I would embarrass us all." Loki leans in and pecks Sigyn on the cheek, appreciative of his wife's wisdom and tolerance. "Amund seems like a decent person, if he is a bit odd. Maybe we can do something to give the boy back his voice."

...

"Look at this beautiful place, Amund!" Narvi exclaims, presenting Narvlheim with an open arm and a smile. It is a particularly clear day, the sky a dark blue. The Bifrost site is at the end of a long pathway, and Narvi knows the way back to his parent's home by memory. He leads Amund there with a long stride.

"_It is beautiful. But I like Einheim better._"

"I know you do. I like our home as well. But this is a great place to visit, if only for a few days."

They continue to walk in silence, taking in the sounds of all the animals on Narvlheim. There are so few on their home realm, save for fish. They pass a number of small apple trees here as well, and partake on their way. The plant life at home is deceivingly pretty, often signifying poison.

These facts are the harsh realities of Einheim: the people that live there are starving.


	9. To Be Armored

"_Is that it_?" Amund asks, pointing ahead at a small cottage.

"Yes, that is it." Narvi smiles to see Hela waiting outside. He introduces her to his companion, and they enter the house, waiting for Narvi's parents to join them. Surely they are not far behind.

Sigyn and Loki's home is much more simple now that both Hela and Vali are on their own. She has decorated it with Loki's signature green, still as much in love with it now as she was while growing up. The doting admiration she still has for her husband is echoed all over the house.

Vali's room, now Narvi's guest room, has been cleaned somewhat. He enters with Amund to raid the bookcase, and possibly find some to bring back with them. Narvi is anxious to take any of them off the shelf, but he is embarrassed at the very likely possibility that when he opens their bindings, he will not be able to read the contents inside.

"_I will help you, Narvi. Pick whichever ones you want._"

He nods, and searches the titles for anything familiar. Narvi wants to choose two or three about weaponry, and one on magic. This green one seems to be authored by his own father, which is fitting. Loki was spectacularly brought up in the old Asgard, and is well suited as an authority on the subject of sorcery. Narvi is wishing he had the pleasure of continuing his education with Loki, despite his more comfortable interest in spending time with his mother as a child. Vali's room is full of reminders that tell Narvi how far behind he is.

But on the bed is a surprise, wrapped in an unassuming gray blanket. Sigyn comes up the stairs and sees both Amund and Narvi going through the bookcase; she does not sense Narvi's apprehension. Her presence interrupts the selection.

"My loves, I am preparing a meal in the kitchen. Amund, why don't you join us, and Narvi, why don't you open your gift before coming downstairs?" She glances to the wrapped bundle on the bed, and leads Amund downstairs. Sigyn smiles at her son with a raised eyebrow, anxious to see how he'll take to it. Narvi is still staring at the pile of blankets when she closes the door behind him.

Narvi unwraps the gift, not sure of what he'll find. On top is the cape that Grid made for him, embroidered with careful patterns along the edge. He lifts it up and spreads the sheet out again, admiring it. Narvi hasn't been familiar with purple in many years, as it is not a natural color on Einheim. But he does still love it, and is flattered that his nanny would work so hard to make such a fantastic show of color.

Beneath the cape is another grand gesture: his father's old golden armor. Or, at least an altered replica; the metal is true yellow gold, and it has been puckered with tiny hammers. Someone spent years on this piece as well. It has wide clasps at the top, clearly meant to fasten the cape.

But Narvi is again behind with this, for as he stares at the armor, he has no idea where to begin with putting it on. The revelation makes him feel sad, adolescent, and left out. The black underarmor and boots that accompany the outfit are the only pieces that Narvi understands. He weeps quietly in Vali's room, unsure how he will get out of this mess.

...

Amund and Sigyn go downstairs to the kitchen to meet Hela and wait for Narvi. Hela is keeping to herself, writing in a journal. Their interaction is awkward, because Amund cannot speak and Sigyn does not know his sign language. But she tries the best she can to make the elf feel welcome.

"I am so glad my son has you, Amund, and that he has not been alone. Thank you, for all you do for him."

Amund smiles, and responds with a simple gesture that clearly means, "_you're welcome_."

"I see that you both were admiring the books in Vali's room. If you want to take some with you, I am more than happy to lend them out!" Sigyn is overexcited at the prospect of welcoming the elf into the family. To her, this is just the sort of opportunity she needs to pick up where she left off in having Narvi close by.

Amund gives Sigyn a sad look. He makes some gestures that she does not understand. She tilts her head.

"I'm sorry, Amund, I don't understand. Is there a problem with the books?"

He nods. Amund points and looks towards the doorway, then back at her.

"A problem with Narvi?"

He nods again. Sigyn wants to know more, and asks him what the problem is, as Narvi used to love the books when he sat with her as a child.

Amund thinks for a moment how he should communicate with her, and debates if he should say anything at all. When he sees the honest concern in Sigyn's eyes, he figures she is the only one who might be appropriate to tell.

He puts his hands in front of him, the inside edges of the palms together. It is an obvious pantomime of a book. Amund moves his head from side to side in an animated fashion, mimicking reading, using his fingers to trace the invisible writing. He then looks back at the doorway and back again, and nods side to side, very slowly, to say 'no.' The gesture alone is almost crudely simple, but Amund's message is clear:

"_Narvi can't read_."

Sigyn sits back in her chair, and moves her eye contact from Amund to the wall. She didn't consider that Narvi's time away would have left him without the basic skills she wanted so badly to teach him. Sigyn asks Amund more questions.

"Are you sure? Anything at all?"

"_A little. He can read a little._"

"And...and writing? Anything?"

"_I don't know._"

Sigyn is disappointed with herself. She somehow thought that Narvi's age would be enough, but obviously forgot that the boy was isolated from real civilization for such a long time. She takes Amund's hands in hers, and looks at him with genuine appreciation.

"Thank you, Amund. We will have to do something about that."

Amund nods, clearly valuing the same skills that Sigyn does. He smiles at her, and says a simple statement, one she is able to piece together like the rest:

"_Thank you. I love to read. I would love the books._"

...

There is a quiet knock on the door of Vali's bedroom. Narvi turns away from it, not wanting to face anyone who might enter. But his father Loki comes in anyway; it is the first time he has been alone with Narvi since the boy's arrival.

"Do you need help, Narvi?" The boy does not respond; he is wiping his face, embarrassed.

"Narvi, please turn around." Loki walks to his son, and places his hand on Narvi's shoulder. The boy does turn to face his father, but cannot look him in the eye. He has dressed in the underarmor, but still holds the golden breastplate, unsure what to do next.

"It is my honor to help you with this, my son. I know you are unfamiliar with such things. But I promise, you will look grand." Loki smiles, almost with an expression of mischief, which he hopes will draw Narvi out of the childlike shell and into the rights he was born to.

Narvi looks apprehensive, but his father makes him feel confident.

Loki helps his son get dressed in the armor, fastening the purple cape to the top of the golden cage of metal, and gives Narvi a quick lesson in how to walk without tripping before presenting the boy down the stairs to his mother.


	10. Where He Belongs

Narvi walks down the steps behind Loki, almost shaking. There are no mirrors in this part of the house, so he does not know how he looks; Narvi assumes he must look regal, somewhat like Vali at the Bifrost, but unique to have such a bold color flow behind him. It is especially unfamiliar because Einheim has no armor; there are not enough resources to fight against one another. Narvi is just now having a taste of what it might be like to leave.

Loki enters the kitchen and sees Sigyn sitting in silence with Amund and Hela, enjoying their meal. He wants to surprise them all, and holds Narvi back behind the doorway.

"Might I present to you all, Narvi Lokison of Einheim, brother of Asgard's King and of Narvlheim's soon to be Stewardess!" He holds his arm out and bows slightly, wanting to be pretentiously enthusiastic like his brother Thor would be. But Loki beams with pride to watch Narvi take the careful, heavy steps in.

Sigyn drops her fork at the view of him; Amund nearly does the same.

Narvi stands up straighter in the armor; the boots are somewhat lifted, making him the tallest in the room. The gold is very fitting for his complexion. Narvi's hair just lightly grazes his shoulders, thankfully not getting caught between the slats of metal. But the real surprise is his flowing cape, which seems to have a life of its own. Because of its color, Grid had to make it out of a different fabric than both Loki and Vali's; it is thicker, heavier. It also has much more intricate beauty than it seemed to at first glance; when Narvi walks, the inside lining is somewhat iridescent, changing color with every sway. The quick lesson with Loki upstairs was not wasted.

"H...how do I look?" He asks quietly. Narvi is terribly modest, and this impressive show makes him feel a bit exposed.

"Oh, Narvi! Look at you!" Sigyn cannot contain herself, and stands to walk to him. He smiles back at her, happy to see her excitement. His gaze moves to Amund.

"_I have never seen armor before. You look so grand._" Amund does not know what else to say, simply awestruck by the sight. He gestures a few times that his head is exploding, indicating how unbelievable Narvi looks. Narvi laughs in response, looking down at himself, wishing he could see what they were looking at.

So he turns around, and against the entry, Narvi gestures with his hand; a sheet of ice forms on the door, perfectly clear and reflective. It becomes a decent mirror, and Narvi admires himself, standing tall and adjusting the underarmor so that it doesn't poke out of the golden cage so unevenly. Narvi then gestures the opposite way, which melts the ice back into the air. When Narvi looks back at his father, his jaw has nearly dropped to the floor.

In fact, everyone but Amund is surprised at the trick.

"How did you do that?" Loki asks, genuinely impressed.

"What do you mean? I got that from you, I'm sure."

"No, no, no, that is not a trick I know." Loki's face tips to the side. Even Hela in the back of the room looks somewhat shocked. "What other spells might you have, Narvi?"

"I..." Narvi is confused. How can they not be aware of this? If he had to teach it to himself, surely it wouldn't be something that only he knew? "I didn't know this was something special. I'm sorry?"

"Don't be sorry! But I can't help but wonder what else you have learned in your time away. Things we never considered." Loki remembers the tricks he once saw Hela perform in battle, and how he and Vali were both shocked to see them.

Loki has an idea, and in a split second, he throws a plate at Narvi.

Without thinking, Narvi holds both his hands out in front of him, and the plate hits a force field of energy before him. It shatters all over the kitchen. Loki laughs to see the spell again, now aware how Hela learned it. Narvi looks sorry to have destroyed the dish in his parent's home; his hand is up at his mouth, embarrassed. He should have just caught it, but his father took him by surprise.

"Hey, no breaking dishes for the sake of lessons!" Sigyn scolds, frowning at Loki for acting so rash.

"I am sorry, Sigyn." Loki says, but he is mostly insincere. He puts his hand on Narvi's shoulder. "We have much to learn from you, Narvi. I cannot wait to find out all that you can do."


	11. Making Plans

Many weeks have gone by since Narvi's first visit, and appearances with his parents are becoming more frequent. Amund has only joined him the one time; that is, until today, when Narvi insisted he come back to Asgard again. His companion does not like traveling through the Bifrost, finding it terribly violent on his ears, but he agrees.

Narvi has brought three ambassadors home with him to assess the resources of the realm, and they are all returning to Asgard today in order to meet with the King and plead for hunting leave on Narvlheim. Vali might just be capable of designing a portal from Einheim to the thriving realm so that the people can survive.

The group of five waits at the Bifrost site on Einheim. Narvi appreciated the gesture of armor from his parents, but he does not like to feel superior to the people he serves. Apart from his long hair, Narvi looks like any other person from Einheim. He keeps the cape that Grid made for him at home unless he goes to Asgard; as a substitute to wearing it as a true cape, Narvi drapes the fabric across himself in the same manner that Loki now wears his green shawl. He stands out, but no longer looks as intimidating.

Amund stands beside Narvi, and has been given a white shawl to indicate that he is also from Einheim. The elf does not regret telling Sigyn about Narvi's difficulties with reading and writing, despite the backlash he received when Narvi was confronted with the issue. He is taking some lessons on Asgard to improve his abilities, but because of Narvi's age, learning is much more difficult than it would have been in the past. Amund supplements at home as best he can; a challenging task considering Amund cannot teach pronunciation or inflection, but he is proud of Narvi's development. Narvi is already able to write some now; tremendous growth considering the many years he avoided the task.

There are citizens who are anxious to get the bridge from Einheim to the other realms working regularly; many want to find out if they, too, have long lost family somewhere. Considering how many survivors on Einheim were children, the likelihood is fairly low; the Aesir that survived the Ragnarok on new Asgard often met the same fate of those that fell to Einheim, and died of heartache. Only those from the faraway realms fared well with the uncertainly faced before them. But there is a small hope, one that Narvi hopes he can supply more directly after counseling with his brother.

They all arrive in the Bifrost on Asgard, now a familiar journey for Narvi, yet still an unpleasant experience for Amund. He does not look pleased to have been forced to come back here, but obliges Narvi's wishes under the hope that they will be finished with all of these back and forth trips soon.

Vali, the King, is there to greet them all. He has had some chances to bond with Narvi again, but not many. Amund met Vali briefly during his first trip, but is happy to see Vali again, since it brings Narvi such joy to be reunited with his twin; they shake hands in acknowledgement. The two brothers don't look enough alike to be thought of as twins from first glance, but the family resemblance is obvious. In spite of Vali's station, Amund is thankful that he ended up with the lighter of the two.

"My brother, I come with good news. The people of Einheim have welcomed the ambassadors. We have to discuss a way for the citizens to continue surviving; might I take a conference with you to set up plans?" Narvi is trying as hard as he can to speak as regally as Vali does; for the most part, he succeeds. He wants to show respect to Vali, aware of his brother's station and power; in the process, he forgets that his brother still thinks of him as a ghost of sorts, in awe and disbelief with every meeting.

"Yes, Narvi, I would be happy to discuss such things with you. Is Amund coming?" He asks, looking at the elf. Amund doesn't really want to be a part of these things, but knows that Narvi is short on words sometimes.

"_Yes, I will go with you,_" Amund says, while rolling his eyes somewhat. Only he could convey exasperation so clearly with his hands.

"Amund is coming with us. Let us find a place to work out the plans."


	12. Solutions

Narvi explains to Vali how the people are starving, and unable to continue repopulating with so few. The ambassadors agreed that the conditions were almost uninhabitable; how they were able to survive without help for so long is a mystery to them. Einheim is beautiful, but deceivingly so. One of the ambassadors fell ill by drinking from a stream that did not carry true water; luckily, Narvi was closeby, and has learned the necessary healing incantations to counteract most of Einheim's poisons.

Vali agrees to work with Narvi to find an acceptable portal on Narvlheim to travel to and from Einheim. Surely a pathway must exist somewhere; Yggdrasill never intended to separate the realms, even in this state. They just need to find the right direction, and find a portal safe enough for general passage. Where it will open up on Einhieim is not up to them, but they hope it is close to the peoples' encampment.

Narvi is eternally grateful to Vali for all of his resources and assistance. He bows to his brother; Vali quickly places his hand on Narvi's chin, raising the brother to his feet.

"There is no need for that, Narvi. I am thankful you are alive. It is my duty as King to help the realms, and keep them surviving; without you, we would not know there were people who needed our help." Vali takes Narvi's hands in his. "It is I who should be thanking you, my brother."

"Thank you, Vali." Narvi smiles back, happy that he will soon have good news to report at home. He is interrupted by a tap on the shoulder.

"_Did you not say your mother had something for me? Can I meet you back on Narvlheim later?_" Amund has clearly grown tired of seeing Narvi bond with Vali, and he feels like an intruder to be there.

"Yes; go back to the Bifrost, Amund. I will meet you at my parent's house soon."

...

Amund walks the long road back to Loki and Sigyn's home, feeling slightly apprehensive to be doing so alone. He knows that Narvi needs the time with his family, but seeing him with them makes Amund lonely for his own parents. His father was already slain on the battlefield of Vigrid before the palace fell apart; Amund didn't know what happened to his mother, but he spent so much time screaming through the fall that when he landed on Einheim, he had no more voice to speak with which to ask the remaining survivors if they had seen her. Amund was not the only one left with this affliction; it was a common side effect from the fall, hence why his sign language was so perfect.

He arrives at the home of Loki and Sigyn, and quietly knocks. Sigyn answers the door.

"Amund, welcome. Please come in!" She presents the house with her open arm in the same way Loki would. Amund gestures, _thank you_, and enters. He walks into the kitchen, where a pile of books is waiting for him.

"Where is Narvi?" She asks, casually.

Amund responds by holding up two fingers in the shape of a 'V.'

"Ahh, with Vali?"

Amund nods.

"Very well, then. He will come later. Please, sit."

Sigyn presents the books to Amund, and explains which ones she has been working on with Narvi. The process with her son is long and tedious, but she is happy to do it. She explains to Amund her method of teaching; thankfully, she has parchment, and Amund responds with the work he has done on the other side teaching Narvi to write. She is proud to consider Amund family, and thanks him fervently. He smiles to see her appreciate his work and time.

Amund thinks of her as a stand-in for his long, lost mother as well, and finds himself enjoying the time quite well. He doesn't even notice when Loki enters the room.

"Amund, can you come with me for a minute?" Amund turns around fast to see the Steward. Loki is somewhat more casual than usual, with his hair tied behind his neck, wearing his black and green tunic. It seems that so many years of the hair in his face is no longer his preference, and he has gotten back into the habit of tying it with twine since Narvi's return; the two have spent many hours teaching one another spells, and so Loki has grown accustomed to binding it again.

"_Ok_," Amund responds, saying goodbye to Sigyn at the table and following Loki down the hallway.

Loki takes Amund to a back room, and closes the door behind them. He invites the elf to sit, and takes a seat in front of the boy. Loki has not spent much time with Amund, and as such, is not familiar at all with his sign language. But he figures the two will get by well enough.

"Amund, when you fell to Einheim, were you able to speak?"

This is not what Amund expected, if he had any expectations at all; he figured that Loki would want to ask about Narvi, not about himself.

"_Yes and no_," he responds. He signals to Loki that he needs something to write with. On a small bit of parchment, he quickly scribbles:

"I was screaming when I fell. When I landed, I no longer had a voice."

"Did this happen to many people there?"

"_Yes_."

Loki considers this, and is curious to see what it would be like to see most of a civilization trapped in silence. He cannot even imagine it, as Loki's words are part of his very soul. Without them, he would not have been able to serve the people of Narvlheim, or teach. The prospect makes him feel sorry for the boy.

"Have you ever tried to speak since then?"

"_No..._" Amund responds, shaking his head and furling his brow. The answer seems to suggest that he doesn't speak because he doesn't want to, not because he can't.

"Why not?"

Amund has to ask himself the question. He really doesn't have an answer. Speaking in signs is so much easier on Einheim, and much more accepted than the loud ramblings of the lonely people who are always searching for answers.

"_I don't know._"

"Amund, would you like to try?"

He breathes in deep. Amund has never been asked to speak, as it was always assumed that he couldn't. But Loki looks so much less intimidating than the last time they met that Amund feels like being brave, and nods that he will try.

The elf opens his mouth, and tries to speak. But there is no purchase from his lips. Only silence escapes them. Amund's eyebrows raise at Loki, and he gestures with his hand:

"_Nothing_."

Loki does not take this result at face value.

"Try again."

The elf opens his mouth again, this time while closing his eyes. Loki makes a gesture with his hand towards the boy's throat, and braces himself.

Amund is screaming.

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The story is almost over! It has been quite a journey. But I thought I would ask my readers to please take a peek at the novel I'm posting on the sister website! Than you all for your reads and support :) u/979274/msloan


	13. Communication

Amund is clutching his throat, staring at Loki with a distressed look on his face. Every time he opens his mouth, only a loud yell escapes, with no articulation. Sigyn is so startled by the sound that she comes to the room to find out what is going on, and opens the door.

Amund's face is quickly being covered in tears. He looks at Sigyn desperately.

"Loki, what is happening?"

"I don't know, Sigyn. I'm trying to give the boy back his voice!" Loki is equally concerned at this reaction, and holds up his hands to reverse the spell.

The elf stands and grabs them instead, shaking his head _no._ He closes his mouth, stopping the sound for the most part. Sigyn goes to him, and takes Amund in her arms.

"Oh, Amund. I'm so sorry. I know you're out of practice." She knows just what to say, even with a man who is essentially a stranger. But the elf weeps on Sigyn's shoulder, desperate to have someone close to him now. Loki stands and pats him on the back.

"Come, Amund. We have to keep trying until you can speak properly."

It is quite a scene, with the daring Sigyn between two tall men clad in black; they almost look like opposing twins, with Loki's dark features countering the light and soft edges of Amund's face. The elf nods at Loki, and gestures once more before embracing the father of Narvi:

"_Thank you_."

...

Narvi and Vali are spending time in Asgard's palace halls, talking about all that they missed from one another. The two of them will always have an inseparable bond; Vali confesses to Narvi that it was a memory of him that finally led to his first kiss with Rigs. Vali says that without Narvi, he might never have had the courage to say something to her.

He cannot echo the sentiment, as Narvi only had himself to rely on for matters of the heart back home. But he is appreciative of Vali's compliment.

Today, Vali is going to introduce Narvi to his beloved Ragfrieda. She is heavily with child, and due to give birth sometime in the next two months. Rigs has been healthy for the most part, though the pregnancy has caused her to become weaker than usual; Grid has come to her aid many times, and ordered the girl to stay in bed. At least they know, from the power of Rigs' brother, the Seer, that they are expecting a daughter.

Vali is proud to be on the cusp of fatherhood. He does not know what to expect from his daughter, especially considering the fact that he is so pale in comparison to Rigs. He expects that the girl will be beautiful like his wife is, but worries that his Jotun blood might pass on something less than flattering. Narvi offers words of comfort, but has no idea either. They must have faith that Vali's children will be all he can hope they will be.

Rigs is exuberant to meet Narvi, having heard so much about his miraculous return from the dead in recent months. She hugs him close to her, only interrupted by the enormous belly that separates them, and welcomes him whole-heartedly into their home.

"Narvi, it is my pleasure to finally meet you. I have heard stories of you since I was but a child. Please, come and sit with us..." Rigs says, but at the end her inflection drops, and she places her arm across her belly.

"Rigs, are you alright?" Vali asks, alarmed.

"Yes, Vali, don't trouble yourself, she's just a little excited to meet our guest as well." She smiles at Narvi, who still is not very familiar with the customs of the realm. He doesn't know if it is appropriate to touch her belly or not. There have been several births on Einheim, and even since he was very young, Narvi had to be present at many of them to make sure there were no tragedies. The only healer in the realm rarely gets to rest.

"It pleases me to see my brother with such a beauty," Narvi says, kissing Rigs' hand. She blushes somewhat. He knows how to flatter with the best of them, though his compliment is genuine.

"May I?" Narvi asks, holding his hand above the enormous bump that is Rigs' belly. She smiles.

"Of course you may, you are family!" She takes Narvi's hand and places it gently over her womb. They sit in silence for a few minutes.

"Ahh, very good." Narvi says.

"Can you feel her kicking?" Vali asks, having felt it himself several times.

"No...I can see the child; she is healthy. She is dark, like her mother, but has much of your nature, Vali. She doesn't like to bother anyone. She is a quiet child."

Rigs and Vali hold one another's hands and stare in awe at Narvi's ability to see. He isn't watching them, focused instead on the vision he has of the baby.

"Hmm..." he says, smiling. "What a beautiful name."

"She told you her name?" Rigs asks, terribly curious.

"Oh yes. But that is for her to tell you, not me."


	14. Surprises

Vali goes with Narvi back to Narvlheim, hoping to start the search for portal sites in the morning. After all, they both seemed to have an uncanny ability to find them as children, and two is better than one.

When they arrive at Sigyn and Loki's home, it has been almost a full day since Narvi last saw Amund. He feels guilty for leaving him alone for so long. But he cannot find the elf, only his mother Sigyn, who greets them at the cottage.

"My sons, please come into the house, it has been so long since my whole family was together." She invites them in, and Hela is waiting at the kitchen table. Even though she is about to be given the honor of Stewardship, Hela is happy to be at home to witness the family reunion.

"Mother, where is Amund? Where is Father?" Narvi looks concerned.

"Oh, don't worry yourself dear. They are off working on something. You know Amund is an elf, don't you?" She suggests that Amund has some hidden magic that Loki is honing. Narvi nods, though he assumed that Amund had no sorcery skills. He must be wrong.

"Narvi is full of surprises, mother. Tell her what you saw today." Vali almost pushes his brother over, wanting to brag about his healing skills. Narvi is blushing.

"What, dear?"

"I saw Vali's daughter today, with Rigs. She is healthy."

"Oh, what good news is this!" Sigyn says, kissing Vali on the cheek in celebration. Hela can overhear the conversation, and comes forward to take Narvi's hands.

"My brother, is healing your skill?"

Narvi thinks for a moment, and looks Hela in the eyes.

"I...I suppose so. That and the cold spells. And the shields." Narvi doesn't know what he knows, or what he is missing, only that he clearly has a different sort of magic compared to the rest of them. Even Grid cannot see the child, regardless of her many healing abilities.

"You are indispensible then, Narvi. I hope that we can call upon you in the future from Einheim." Hela smiles at him with the same mischief that is usually reserved for her father's ideas.

Of all the times he has visited here since learning of Asgard's existence, this is the first time Narvi has considered the fact that his family is here, but his home is still on Einheim. Regardless of if they find a portal, it is where Amund will want to stay. He cannot become a close constant to the family; Narvi will always be somewhat of an outsider, regardless of how much he learns or how quickly he catches up.

"I will always come if you call upon me, sister." Narvi kisses her hands in the same way that he did Rigs earlier. Hela is happy to call him her brother, and feels as though she knows his heart's concerns before he says them.

"You are part of us, Narvi. No matter where you are."

Narvi almost wells up with tears at this, but embraces her instead. Vali encircles his siblings in tandem, the first time the three of them have been together; they grasp one of the other's hands and squeeze in the family code.

They are interrupted by Loki's voice, very suave and calm behind them.

"Narvi, someone has something to say to you."

Loki has arrived with Amund close behind. He has a wide smile on his face, one that shows true joy; Vali hasn't seen his father show such excitement in some time. Amund has a likewise expression. The elf steps forward and gestures to Narvi:

"_I have a surprise for you._" Amund is smiling with a glimmer in his eye. The inflection of his hand movement shows heavy enthusiasm.

"Alright, what do you have for me?" Narvi is suspicious. Why would his father be involved in this as well? He assumes this will be some sort of magic trick.

"_Close your eyes._"

Narvi does as he is told. He puts his hands behind his back, and waits. He can hear shuffling from the people around him, and tries to gauge where they are all going. He can hear Sigyn whispering with Loki, then with Vali and Hela. They have moved to all corners, confusing Narvi's senses. This must be one impressive trick to clear the room in such a way, and leave Narvi standing in the center by himself.

He hears some quiet breathing, then a little bit of voicing, like a small person cooing. It is a voice he does not know.

"H...h...ell...o." The voice is quiet. It is barely audible. But the word is discernible, though stammered a bit.

Narvi opens his eyes, and sees Amund standing before him, and can hardly believe his own ears.

"Amund... was that you?"

"_Yes._ _I can speak!_"

"Say it again, Amund! Please!" Narvi's eagerness is palpable. His family in the edges of the room are holding one another's hands, sharing his anticipation.

"H...hhe...lloo." Amund now has a voice; though he hasn't had to use his mouth for articulation in so long that he's forgotten how to speak. It will take time.

"Oh, Amund! I am so happy!" Narvi embraces him tightly, and looks at his father's eyes, which are beaming with pride. He has pleased his lost son, and granted speech to another orphaned child. Narvi gestures the same sign that Amund uses frequently: _thank you_. Narvi squeezes the elf to his chest.

In his ear, Amund is breathing strangely. Narvi doesn't move, aware that he is attempting to speak again.

"I...I...llo.."

"Shh, I know, Amund. I love you, too."


	15. Portal Search

Narvi and Vali are out of the house early the next morning, searching for portal sites that will take them to Einheim and back. But Vali has already mapped so many, he is skeptical that they will find any more on Narvlheim.

"Brother, should we go to Einheim and look? Would that be alright?"

Narvi considers the question, keeping in mind all of the time that Vali spent on this realm and never made it through to his by accident. They would have better chances working backwards.

"Yes. Let us go."

They make their way to the Bifrost, and travel back to Einheim, ending up on the lonely field that Narvi stood on alone at the first contact so many weeks ago.

Vali is stunned by Einheim. The world is bright, with a pink sky. The trees overwhelm the landscape; at least, what can be seen of the terrain. There are steam pockets rising from the ground in all directions. Vali can see no people, no buildings, and no real civilization. Apart from the recognizable burned patterns of the Bifrost site, nothing looks familiar.

The smell alone takes Vali aback as well; the sulfuric quality of the air is almost noxious. He cannot hear any birds, or singing, or rustling. Only the gurgling of water and pockets of gas beneath the ground make any sound at all. He turns in a complete circle, looking for any landmarks that might suggest a portal; it looks the same to him from all angles: a sea of nothing but trees, steam, and loneliness.

"This world is aptly named, Narvi." Vali walks from the Bifrost site, and Narvi touches his shoulder.

"Brother, my home is dangerous. Let me lead the way."

Narvi walks with slow and deliberate steps in front of Vali, clearly familiar with the terrain. He first takes Vali back to his home with Amund.

"If you are to survive here, we have to get rid of that cape. It will get caught on something, I'm sure." Vali does as he is told, and Narvi does away with the shawl of purple from Grid. Vali still has the silver and black metal armor, but now he will not be at hazard from the vindictive plant life. They head back out, and go to where Narvi thinks a portal site is most likely.

"We don't really have caves here like Vanaheim did. I assume you found them on Narvlheim in similar places?"

"Yes, caves mostly. Though there were two that I found in the trees. They weren't marked and I found them by accident. One went to one of the southern realms that are uninhabited. The other went to Asgard, and I nearly drowned."

"You found a portal that went underwater?"

"Yes. And luckily I have my Jotun blood or I wouldn't have survived the trip." Vali is referring to his quick thought to freeze the water around him, creating air bubbles; it was lucky indeed.

Narvi keeps walking to the largest trees of Einheim, and on their way, they find another person. She is frightened at the sight of Vali, so obviously foreign and even more intimidating with the armor.

"Please, don't be frightened. We are here searching for a way to get back to the other worlds." Narvi speaks out to her, comforting the woman. It is clear that he knows her, though Narvi doesn't say the girl's name.

The woman is another mute. She responds in the same odd signs that Amund does.

"_Who is that?_"

"This is my brother Vali. He is the King of Asgard."

"_King? A new King?_" The girl looks confused, and her face contorts to reflect it.

"Yes. He is here to help us. He is here to get us out of this world."

"_Get us out? To find others? To find food?_"

"All of those things."

The girl nods in understanding, and looks Vali from top to bottom again. She is still intimidated by his appearance, but is satisfied with Narvi's explanation. She runs away, through the thick of the trees, disappearing quickly.

"How many people in this world cannot speak, Narvi?"

Narvi wonders for a few seconds. "Vali, I would say most do not."


	16. Discovery

The largest tree in Einheim gives Vali vertigo to look upon it. The girth of the tree alone is enormous, but the height forces it to stand out amongst the others. Narvi stands beneath it, as if he knows the tree as an old friend. In this setting, he looks more like Hela than ever.

"Our trees weep when sad things happen. We have no real rain. But this tree is different, and always has been. If we are to find a portal, this is where it would be." Narvi looks up and puts his hand on the bark of the tree, which appears scarred and burnt. It is possible that fires set on Einheim in the past destroyed all but this one being.

Vali is uncomfortable in this part of the realm, sinking into the wet ground. They passed a few ponds full of shining black fish, but nothing that Vali found particularly interesting. The tree makes him inexplicably nervous. But he circles the tree in the opposite direction of Narvi.

"Have you searched here before?" Vali asks.

"Once, I did. A long time ago. But I wasn't this tall yet, and I gave up halfway around the tree. Yell out if you find something."

They can cover twice the ground together, and start searching. They find nothing interesting at first, just the old tree and the presence of spirit within. That is, until Narvi comes to an odd looking scar in the bark.

"Vali, here, I think I found something."

He rushes from the other side of the tree, as fast as he can in the sinking ground, and stares at the scar in the bark. It is fairly innocuous. Just a black mark, tall, at the eye level of both Narvi and Vali. But they both put their hands on it, and pull downward.

The tree inside is hollow. The air is very cold. Narvi whispers in his hands to light up the surroundings, and once he determines that the area is clear, he steps in. Vali follows. They take a few steps, anxiously, holding each other's hands.

They feel as though they are walking for more steps than are necessary to reach the other side. But a spot of light appears in the center of the dark. Narvi and Vali start walking faster, closer and closer to the light, until they are beneath a dark blue sky on the other side.

The brothers make it through to Narvlheim; it is pure chance that this portal lead directly to this world and not another. Vali recognizes where they are, and makes a quick mental note; he had not investigated this cave before, as it was adjacent to a common path to Dagheim, and he assumed it would go the same place. He embraces Narvi, and for a few moments, they reminisce at how it felt to find the first portal through to Asgard when they were children. This time, there is no stranger to lead them into darkness on the other side. They only have each other.

"I am so glad we found this, Vali. Now my people will survive!"

"Indeed they will, and they will be welcome here." Vali is genuinely pleased to have helped Narvi find a solution for his people. "Perhaps more of them would like to try the magic that Father did with Amund. But first, we must go back and fetch my cape; mother would kill me if she saw it was missing."

"Ha, I bet she would. I know a quick way back," Narvi laughs, and Vali smiles at the joke. They walk back through the cave and out through the other side of the now gaping tree. It will not be difficult to teach the people of Einheim how to reach the other world.

..

On the way back to Narvi's home, Vali becomes tired. Very tired. He almost falls in the ponds on their way back to the meager building that Narvi and Amund set up for themselves with the shells of old trees. Narvi still walks in front, not aware of his brother's struggles.

Vali sees a small vine of berries. They are pink, and look so inviting. The flowers that grow alongside the already matured fruit smell almost sickeningly sweet, and even a tiny bit spicy. He takes a few in his hand, and rolls one between his middle and forefinger. It splits open, dripping a delicious looking red juice down his hand. The seeds inside indicate that it is not poisonous, at least by the standards that Vali knows. He is about to bring them to his lips when Narvi happens to turn around.

"Vali, no!" Narvi runs back to him, quickly knocking the berries out of Vali's hand. "To the water, quick!"

"Narvi, I didn't eat any, it's o..."

"They'll burn you! Quick!"

Just as Narvi says it, the juice that dripped down Vali's hand is beginning to sting. It is eating away at his skin, leaving a purple trail of injury behind. Vali starts to exclaim in pain. Even his Jotun blood is not enough to cool the burn. Narvi practically drags Vali into one of the pools of water, washing off what he can of the berry venom.

Vali stands in the water, soaked from head to toe, still burning. His hand is becoming quickly scarred. Narvi holds the injured hand between both of his, and tells Vali to close his eyes. He does as he is told, though the stinging is so severe that he has to keep from yelling out in pain.

Narvi whispers into his hands, speaking a quiet incantation and concentrating on his healing. Vali is not improving fast enough, and it is frustrating Narvi, who can do little more than what he already is. He speaks the words louder and louder, gesturing with small movements over Vali's hand.

Vali stops struggling. Narvi looks at his brother's hand; it appears normal. They stopped the venom from causing permanent damage.

"Don't touch anything," Narvi says harshly, only stern because of his worry. He has no issue with his people leaving Einheim to get what they need, but it is obvious by his brother's naïve slip-up that his home is too dangerous for outsiders.


	17. Progress

Vali sets up the decree for Einheim to have leave and hunt on Narvlheim. There is plenty, as the faraway world is so small that their sharing of resources does not strain the supply. In return, the people of Einheim have been bringing textiles, strong materials made of their never-ending stock of trees, and fish. They have no qualms sharing in their only choice of meal, happy to trade the scaled vermin with fruits and poultry.

Over two months have passed since Narvi first came to Asgard, and he has become somewhat of a healing staple in all of Yggdrasill. He has traveled to each of the civilized realms, and worked his very literal magic upon the people who suffered there. Grid and Freyr spend much time with Narvi to learn some of his tactics; they cannot repeat what he can do regardless of practice. Where his skills came from is still a mystery.

Amund's speech is improving, albeit very slowly. He enjoys having the hidden power, but still communicates mostly with the signs. Narvi still isn't used to the sound of Amund's real voice, and so has no issues with him choosing to fall back on what he knows most of the time. Sigyn is unbelievably proud of the elf, acting much like surrogate family, and they all consider him to be another son.

Narvi's reading skills have grown tremendously. He is able to pick up books on his own, and no longer has to read aloud to move from page to page. Narvi is not yet able to take the books he so admired from Vail's room, but it will come in time. Sigyn and Amund are not going to give up yet, hitting the lessons with full force, stressing Narvi to continue to write and read every day. Hela even chimes in, and makes Narvi a leather-bound journal. Narvi left it at his parent's home by accident on the first day he had it.

He wrote the most basic statement on the very first page. Sigyn and Loki found it, and shed tears to read the crude, yet honest, writing:

"My name is Narvi Lokison. I live in Einheim. I love my family."

...

Sigyn and Narvi are having a reading lesson one afternoon, when she finally gets the courage to ask him about something that has burned in her soul for decades. She has to brace herself, not sure if she is ready for the answers that she seeks, but feels that the wound will never heal if she doesn't try.

"Narvi, can I ask you something?"

"Yes, Mother. What is it?"

"Can you tell me what happened that day? In the palace?" She is hopeful that there will not be much to tell; that he tripped and fell behind, or even that he perhaps does not remember. Her great fear is that he will say she failed to watch him, or otherwise did not reach far enough.

"Oh, Mother. I..." Narvi isn't sure he wants to relive that day. But he sees the pleading expression in Sigyn's eyes, and gives in.

"Okay. I remember some, but not everything. I remember hearing the palace crack; Vali was already upset about something, and Father ran in from the battlefield. He looked scared. He kept telling everyone to get out; but we didn't. We stayed for a while, and watched the main crowd of people leave."

"Yes, that's correct. What happened after that?"

"Vali ran ahead, to follow Nanny and Uncle Freyr. I couldn't see him anymore. Then you ran behind him, and I followed you. I was right behind you."

"Until what?"

"Until I found Modi."

Sigyn didn't have a clue about this missing piece.

"You stopped for Modi?"

"He was upset. He was alone. I told him that Father was ordering everyone to get out, but he wasn't moving. So I..." Narvi doesn't want to admit to his sweet mother that he hurt someone else.

"What, Narvi?"

Narvi sighs at his confession. "So I kicked him. I didn't want to, I had to. He wasn't moving. And I got him to stand up. But when he ran by me, he kicked me, too. It hurt my leg. And Modi ran ahead, through everyone; I couldn't see him anymore, and tried to keep moving."

Sigyn thinks for a moment; does she really remember him limping?

"Oh, my sweet. You did nothing wrong, you were trying to help."

"But... but then I couldn't find you. I heard you calling out for me. I didn't know where you were. I didn't know where Father was, and I couldn't find Vali. I was alone. And then..." Narvi is sobbing at his own memories. "And then..."

"Shh, Narvi, shh..." Sigyn is trying hard not to cry too, and embraces her son tightly in her arms, as she wishes she could have all those years ago. Now she has her answer. Sigyn wasn't on the battlefield with Hela the day that Modi died, and never heard the last confession of Thor's boy. It matters not. She has her son back, safe in her arms, never to be lost to her again.


	18. New Life

Vali is anxious for the birth of his daughter. He has been conversing with Grid and Freyr over Rigs' condition, which is not ideal. She has been on bed rest for the last few weeks, but the fatigue is getting worse. Vali's worry is evident, and all of Asgard prays to Valhalla that the King's family will survive this stress.

On the night that Rigs finally goes into labor, there is a hush over all of Asgard. Even Narvlheim feels the strain; Hela has asked all of the sorcerers to be prepared to perform resurrective spells if it comes to that. Loki and Sigyn are at Vali's side, comforting Heimdall and his wife, afraid for their son and their new daughter.

Narvi can feel the tension from far away. He has been on Einheim with Amund for the last few weeks, monitoring the portal and making certain that no outsiders come through by accident and get into trouble. Einheim is lethal by its own accord, and it is Narvi's job to keep an eye out for strangers; he became one of the 'gatekeepins' of his own realm after all.

"Amund, I am worried about Vali. Something is wrong." Narvi's concern is clear on his face. Amund doesn't know how to comfort him.

"_Should you go to Asgard and see if there's something you can do?_"

"I don't know, I don't know what I can do. She hasn't been poisoned, and the child isn't early. But the problem is Rigs, not the baby. The baby is strong."

"_Only you can know that._"

"I know, I know..." Narvi is aware that his abilities set him apart, and he hopes that he is not the only one who senses trouble. But in his heart, he feels the future more strongly than most. Even the Seer could not be prepared for this.

"G...go_._" Amund has to practice some speaking, and it makes Narvi smile. The elf kisses him gently, and sends Narvi on his way to the Bifrost site.

He hopes that his journey is not delayed. Rigs does not have much time.

...

He arrives in the Bifrost, this time with no one to greet him. Narvi hurries to the palace, afraid he is too late, but is instead met with a room of people who are celebrating.

"Narvi, I'm so happy you came!" His mother greets him, excitedly. She embraces Narvi and sends him to Loki for the same treatment. Everyone is anxiously awaiting the sound of the baby's cry.

"Is everything alright?" He asks, still not convinced.

"Yes, everyone is fine. She is about ready to greet the world. Grid keeps peeking her head in to make sure the healers of Asgard have got it under control. Rigs is in some pain, but says she is feeling better now that we are at the end." Sigyn has gone through this before, and is wise; having her first two children on Vanaheim gives her a different perspective, as she could not have the twins in a lavishly furnished and warm environment like this.

Loki looks most shaken. He keeps nibbling his fingernails when he thinks no one is watching. Occasionally he calls out to Vali to find out a report; the King pokes his head out of the room, assures everyone that things are going smoothly, even saying hello to Narvi in a passing glance, and then returning to his wife.

Another hour has passed since Narvi arrived, and there has been no change. But he can feel that the baby is coming. She is speaking to him.

"She is strong," he says to no one, hardly aware that he is speaking aloud.

"Who is, dear?"

"The baby. She has strong magic."

Loki sits beside Narvi, and holds his hand. This is all too familiar for the boy's father, and he craves closeness with his children more than ever. Hela is here, but she is almost constantly in her own world, not concentrating on the here and now as much as she is what could be.

There is a tremendous scream from the room, and everyone present sits up in silence. Their ears are piqued to the sound of anything familiar, or even unfamiliar, as it would signify a change.

Finally, there she is. The loud cries of the girl, who is strong, like her mother. All the people in the hall breathe an audible sigh of relief, and start to clasp one another. Narvi is thankful that his intuition was not correct, and he finally feels somewhat at ease.

Vali exits the room, with a small babe in his arms. She is wrapped in goldenrod yellow, very similar to her mother's favorite color, and has the dark skin typical of a family from Dagheim. Vali is extremely proud, and cannot hold back the tears.

"My friends, my family, this is Laila!"

Narvi smiles, having already known the girl's name, satisfied that her parents felt the same spirit come through. But just as soon as he is grateful for his knowledge, Narvi cannot help but have the terrible feeling again that something is wrong. He stands and walks to Vali.

"Do you want to hold her, Narvi?"

"How is Rigs?"

"She is... fine, Narvi, why are you so concerned?"

"Something is wrong."

Vali turns to see back into the room, just as the last healer left his wife to rest. She is very pale: a difficult feat for her complexion.

"Rigs?" Vali calls out to her. She gives him no answer, and doesn't stir.

Narvi wastes no time and pushes Vali aside to rush into the room.


	19. Salvage

"Rigs! Rigs!" Vali is screaming while sitting at her side, having given the baby to Heimdall and Loki. He and Narvi are frantically searching for clues to find out what is wrong.

"Shh, Vali, your yelling won't help her. Now help me look!" Narvi is checking her arms, her face, looking for signs of illness. There is nothing but her pale expression and lack of attention. It is as if she has fallen into a trance. But Ragfrieda is not waking.

"No...no, no, no...please Rigs, come back..." Vali is openly sobbing, unable to keep his composure. It is noticed by the people outside, who can do little more than watch, as none of them can hope to help her if Narvi can't.

Loki comes in and picks Vali off the floor.

"No, I am not leaving! You cannot take me away!"

"Vali, she can't hear you. Narvi can't help her with you in here."

"No!" Vali sternly yells at his father, who gestures quickly across his son's mouth, silencing him. He throws Vali over his shoulder and out of the room. All is in Narvi's hands now.

He takes her hands in his, and speaks quiet incantations, while pulling anything he can find out of his pockets for ammunition against her ailment. Whether or not she has bled too much, or simply gone through too much stress, Narvi cannot tell; there are no signs of an easy solution.

On Einheim, when there are troublesome births, there are usually typical causes; the mother waded too long in the water, the baby is coming early, or even poison in the food. Rigs poses quite a mystery.

Narvi cannot keep her like this for long, and lays his hands across her abdomen. He concentrates, bringing forth his born nature as a Jotun, freezing her body from the core throughout. It buys him some time to find the answer; her lips turn a silvery blue in the meantime, while Narvi continues to spout incantations.

..

Hours have passed. Rigs is still not improving. Narvi can hear the restless baby outside, who is screaming for her mother. Narvi has not let anyone in; afraid that it might break the concentration he has built within the room.

After all the spells he's tried, there is one left to work. He whispers a secret incantation into his hands, one he only used once before in a vision. There is no guarantee that it will work, but Narvi has faith in himself and in Rigs. Laila is depending on them. So are Vali, and the rest of his family.

Instead of blowing across his hands, as is typical spell practice, Narvi breathes in instead. A white mist comes off of Rigs' form and follows the inhale into Narvi, relieving the girl of the ailment, and opening her eyes. She gasps for breath, audibly coughing to wake up with such cold. Rigs turns to the side and sees Narvi, who is exhausted and has turned Jotun blue.

"Narvi? Narvi, are you alright?"

He does not speak, just stands to the door and opens it wide. Vali comes rushing in, kneeling at his wife's side, thankful to see her open eyes and full complexion again. He sobs into her hand, and signals for Heimdall to bring in the baby.

Sigyn cradles Narvi outside the door; he is still not well enough to speak.


	20. Repetition

"No, Narvi, no, you cannot leave me again..." Sigyn is rocking back and forth, holding Narvi in her arms. He is not well, still flushing his own skin with the cold to keep from losing consciousness. Narvi searches the room for the people he knows, and recognizes many faces. But he cannot place any of their names, not even his mother's.

"Narvi, can you hear me?" Loki is kneeling beside him, panicked. He does not know what to do, as Narvi is not dead, and so his resurrection spell would do no good. But it is obvious that something is wrong; a terrible affliction has come over him, and none of the healers have any clue where to begin.

"What can we do? I don't know what we can do!" Sigyn is starting to panic. She feels the void in her heart begin to crackle and tear, as it did years before, as it did when she spoke with Narvi about the fall not long ago. She cannot bear to watch him suffer, unsure if he can recognize her in this state. Sigyn can only stroke his hair, and rock him back and forth.

"Water..." Narvi says, delirious.

"Quick, someone fetch some water!" Loki yells out, but is met with Narvi's upheld hand in protest.

"No, the water..." Narvi is able to choke out a few more words before losing consciousness.

"I...I don't..." Loki doesn't understand his son's request. He feels hopeless and lost.

"Amund, we have to get him to Amund, maybe the elf will know!" Loki sweeps Narvi out of Sigyn's arms and runs to the Bifrost site, rushing past Thor and the other close friends of Vali and Rigs. They need to focus on the child, who is thankfully healthy; Loki and Sigyn are desperate to find their son his own cure before it is too late.

They scream at the Seer to activate the Bifrost to Einheim, and he obliges; on the other end, by the now strongly etched patterns of the landing point, stands Amund. He did not expect to wait for Narvi so long, and got worried. The elf is now stunned to see Narvi collapsed in Loki's arms, shining an odd color, not waking as he should. This makes Amund terrified, and he searches Sigyn's face for an answer.

"Wh..wha..."

"Amund, he said he needed water. Do you know what that means?" Loki is pleading with the elf, praying to Frigga that there is an answer to this riddle.

Amund thinks for a moment in the panic, and understands Narvi's message. He nods and runs down the hill, beckoning Loki to follow with Narvi in arm. Sigyn is out of strength, and sits by the landing site to weep; unable to wield the strength it would take if her son did not return to her.

Amund finds one of the ponds of water, this one beneath the taller trees. Narvi often takes people he is treating to these places, certain that they contained magic from the skies. Loki follows him into the fluid, letting Narvi's body float and saturate, while Amund stands above him, praying in silence.

The trees above begin to weep. They are weeping for Narvi, feeling his pain, and healing what they can. As the water falls, Loki tries to shield his eyes, as when it splashes on the pond below the rain seems to come from both directions. Narvi is still shining blue, but he is untouched by the rain above, somehow able to repel it with a force field that no one can see.

"Narvi, please come back to us, please..." Loki is pleading to no one, unsure of what spell could bring his son out of this daze. Whatever was afflicting Rigs, Narvi brought it upon himself on purpose, wanting more to save her than save himself.

"Nnn..Nar...Narvi..." Amund spits out, still not able to speak well enough to say his name without stammering. But he is trying. Amund is weeping alongside Loki and the trees, not sure what else to do.

"Narvi, don't leave me yet. I love you. Narvi, please..." Loki again cries out, yelling up to the skies. "I'm not ready for this!"

The words must strike a chord in Narvi's subconscious, as his countenance turns back into the olive skin he's used to. He does not open his eyes, but something has changed. The trees above stop weeping. Amund and Loki stare at each other; the elf signals that they should get out of the water.

"Sigyn, come down," Loki yells behind them, hopeful that they are at the end of this scare. She rushes to meet them, nearly falling more than once. But Sigyn finally stands beside Loki, who still clutches Narvi in his arms, soaking wet.

"Narvi, can you hear me?"

He stirs slightly, though not much.

"Come back to us, Narvi. Narvi, come back to us."

Narvi can see a bright light, and then nothing, but hears his mother's voice as clear as daylight.

"My love, please return to me."

He is running, calling out, remembering how he tugged on the clothing of the people who arrived on this strange planet. Narvi recognizes no one. He is alone. He is abandoned.

"My child, I love you."

He finds her, with her arms held open, clutching him to her chest. His mother is here. His father is here. He is not alone.


	21. The Last Lokison

Narvi is resilient to whatever he was infected with from Rigs; he never did find out what afflicted her, but was thankful that his delirious message got through enough to heal him of it. Narvi now carries a vial of Einheim water with him always, as it has the most powerful healing qualities of any force yet known in Yggdrasill.

Vali feels indebted to Narvi, but his brother insists he not feel such things:

"Debt is what binds us all to one another, cycling through things like Ragnarok, for the sake of being even. You are my brother. We are always even."

Narvi is highly respected on Einheim, for saving the citizen's lives, and even granting some of them speech, should they wish it. Many do not, and are happy with the language that they have, keeping sanctuary the quiet that they hold so dear and special to their realm. They have changed the meaning of their world, as 'ein' still means one, from "Home of the Lonely," to "Home of the Unique." They are proud that the fall took them here and nowhere else.

Amund is learning more to speak each day, and no longer stammers in the same fashion he did before. He has grown to love all of Narvi's family, and attends the magic lessons on Narvlheim given by Loki and Hela. As an elf, he is entitled to some magic, though he does not yet know what; it matters little. He has family again. They choose to call him Lokison.

"Narvi, are there other realms out there, with more fallen people?" Amund asks with the hope that there might still be others to help. He cannot remember a time anymore when the only thing to eat was skinny fish and burning berries.

"I don't know, Amund. But if there are, I'm sure we'll find them."

They stand beneath the Einheim sky, and look out amongst the stars; their atmosphere does not glow with the remnants of falling worlds anymore. It means that the pieces are coming together, in another place and another time, waiting to be discovered.

...

Sigyn and Loki have retired to bed. Hela has taken the Stewardship, as she was meant to do, and is as trusted as any of them to lead Narvlheim in peace alongside her brother, the King of Asgard. The two make a pair for the ages, continuing the legacy of greatness that Loki could never have achieved on his own. For the first time in their lives together, Loki and Sigyn sleep under a roof of contentment that all of their children, including their sweet grandchild, are safe.

"Loki, may I ask you something?" Sigyn's eyes are closed, and she is nearly asleep. She spins her wedding band around her finger, smiling to herself that after all these years, it still has the stone eyes.

"Yes, my love?"

"Did you ever think that we could be so happy?"

He smiles, and tucks Sigyn beneath his chin as they lie together. The old cape that Grid made for him is acting as their blanket, and he pulls it over them to just cover above their chests. He holds his left hand over his face, and looks at the three green stones of his wedding band, knowing all too well the inscription that Sigyn had printed inside.

Loki reminisces over the night that they met, when he sat beside her on Frigga's bed, and can remember the tender sensation of her touch upon his cheek. Even now, Loki takes Sigyn's hand in his and raises it to his face, breathing into it as if it is the last breath he has to give.

"My Sigyn. You have always made me happy."

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The End

Thank you to all of the loyal readers who went on this wonderful journey with me. I found out some interesting things about myself in the process of writing these characters, and hope that someday it may be possible to continue their adventures, and illustrate them fully.

Please comment with your favorite moment of the series. Love to all, CG215 :)


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